Booting from a compressed image
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsWesley G. Miller, Richard Allen Pletcher, Bruce L. Green, Jason Cohen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Accessing files within a compressed image to boot from the compressed image. In one embodiment, the compressed image includes a boot environment and a software image combined to reduce file redundancy. The invention boots into the boot environment within the compressed image to install the software image on a computer.
Claims49
A method for accessing a compressed image comprising a boot environment and a software image stored on a computer-readable medium, said boot environment and software image comprising a plurality of files combined to reduce file redundancy, said method comprising executing a driver component to perform:
- identifying the boot environment in the compressed image;
- loading the compressed image as a file system;
- and
- booting from the identified boot environment via the file system.
A method for accessing a compressed image stored on a computer-readable medium, said compressed image storing descriptive data and file data, said method comprising executing a driver component to perform:
- identifying a boot environment in the compressed image via the descriptive data;
- loading the compressed image as a file system to provide access to the file data;
- and
- booting from the identified boot environment via the file system.
One or more computer-readable media having one or more computer-executable components for accessing a compressed image comprising a boot environment and a software image, said boot environment and software image comprising a plurality of files combined to reduce file redundancy, said components comprising a driver component for:
- identifying the boot environment in the compressed image;
- loading the compressed image as a file system;
- and
- booting from the identified boot environment via the file system.
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure representing a compressed image, said data structure comprising:
- a boot environment;
- and
- a software image, wherein said boot environment and said software image comprise a plurality of files combined to reduce file redundancy.
A system for booting from a compressed image comprising a boot environment and a software image stored on a computer-readable medium, said boot environment and software image comprising a plurality of files combined to reduce file redundancy, said system comprising:
- means for identifying the boot environment in the compressed image;
- means for loading the compressed image as a file system;
- and
- means for booting from the identified boot environment via the file system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.